Feb. 26, 2010
Box Score
UW vs. UC Santa Barbara Boxscore 
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Wisconsin's three-game winning streak came to an end on Friday morning as UC Santa Barbara topped the Badgers, 6-1, in UW's opening game at the 2010 Gaucho Classic. Following a 1-1 tie after four innings, the Gauchos scored five unanswered runs to snap an eight-game losing streak.
True freshman Shannel Blackshear got the Badgers on the board in the bottom of the fourth with the first home run of her career. She launched a solo shot to dead center to tie the game at 1-1. It was Wisconsin's first home run since fellow freshman Whitney Massey went yard against Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 13.
UC Santa Barbara opened the scoring in the top of the third as Brooke Putich doubled to left center to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, Kelly McDonald singled up the middle to drive in the game's first run.
The Gauchos added three more runs in the top of the fifth.
After the first two batters reached on singles, Keilani Jennings put down a sacrifice bunt but catcher Maggie Strange's throw hit Jennings. As the ball rolled away, Jessica Ziegler scored from second. With Putich on third, Jennings stole second.
The next batter, Jessica Beristianos, flew out to right field. Kendall Grimm's throw home was not quite in time as Putich missed the plate initially but was able to get back before Strange could apply the tag.
Lainey DePompa then doubled to the left field wall to bring in Jennings and make the score 4-1 in favor of UCSB.
UC Santa Barbara also tacked on one run each in the sixth and seventh innings.
A pair of singles, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single by Putich made it 5-1 in the sixth, while a fielding error by Wisconsin's Katie Soderberg at second base enabled a runner to score in the seventh.
In addition to Blackshear's home run, four different Badgers collected hits on Friday. The team also drew six walks, including two by Grimm.
Senior Letty Olivarez gave up three earned runs in the loss. She pitched six innings, giving up nine hits, five runs, one walk and four strikeouts, before giving way to relief pitcher Kristyn Hansen.
